Star Wars: Jedi Wasteland
by Guardian Kitch
Summary: Darth Vader storms the chambers of the Jedi High Council, easily cutting down the younglings assembled there. Now the hope of an entire Order rests on the girl he trained, the Padawan he never intented to take on. Now, inside of a Jedi Wasteland, the forces of light and evil again do battle as Darth Vader, Dark Lord of the Sith, squares off against Jedi Apprentice Ahsoka Tano...


**Okay, this story covers Vader's attack on the Jedi Temple during _Operation: Knightfall_, in compliance with Order 66. As Anakin storms the High Council Chambers and murders the younglings there, the one person capable of stopping him is the girl he's trained for over a year, the Padawan he never intended to take on. Along the way, he discovers just how advanced her skills have become, just how successful a teacher he's been...**

**Again, I do not own _Star Wars_, which remains the property of Mr. George Lucas. Now, on with the story.**

* * *

_**Jedi Wasteland**_

The young human male, no older than 23 standard years of age, raised the hood of his dark cloak, silent as he approached the closed doors that led to the Jedi High Council Chambers. In his hand was an unlit silver cylinder, a weapon that had been built by a Jedi Padawan at the beginning of the Clone Wars, a weapon now wielded by a Sith Lord at the close of the Clone Wars, allied with the very forces it had been built to destroy: the irony was not lost on the newly christened Darth Vader.

"Captain Rex." Vader said as he drew closer to the door.

"General?"

Vader ignored being addressed by his Jedi military rank: this was, in all technicalities, _still _the Grand Army of the Republic, and Rex was the best of the best when it come to the clones, a man loyal to the Chancellor through and through. Through the Force Vader could feel that he was appalled by what they were being forced to do, disturbed at killing mere children, just as Vader was. After all, up until a very short time ago, he mused, this had been his family. However, the Jedi Order had betrayed the Galactic Republic; every single Jedi, from Yoda to the newest younglings, had been on it, save for Anakin Skywalker, the one Jedi the Council had not trusted. No matter how appalling it might be, Vader knew, the job _had _to be done, and like the Sith Apprentice, Captain Rex and his fellow clones knew that and as such they continued following orders perfectly.

"Deploy your men here: make sure I am not interrupted."

"Sir yes sir!" Rex shouted, snapping off a salute as he began relaying these new orders to his men. As Vader moved to activate the panel in front of him he nearly smiled. Everything had changed. Mere hours ago he had discovered that his closest friend, that kind uncle he'd always come to count on and love, Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, was in fact Darth Sidious, Dark Lord of the Sith. His closest friend had been behind all of this, the entire war. The Jedi Council, led by Mace Windu, had tried to kill an unarmed, defeated Palpatine, forcing Anakin Skywalker to intervene and disarm (literally) a surprised and betrayed Mace Windu, allowing Sidious to kill him. Anakin had then sworn his loyalty to the Sith, becoming Darth Vader as a result. And then he had led an attack to kill everyone within the Jedi Temple. How many Jedi had fallen at his blade so far, he wondered. Mace Windu. Jocasta Nu. Cin Drallig. Serra Keto. Whie Malreaux. And these, he thought to himself, were just the ones who'd given him the greatest challenge. There were dozens and dozens more of Padawans, Apprentices, and younglings, and before this was all over there would likely be many, many more.

And yet, it seemed, for just a moment, when Rex had saluted, that nothing had actually changed. He was on just another mission to save the Republic from total destruction, leading only Captain Rex and the 501st into battle against superior odds. As it was often said, just another day in the office.

Vader forced himself to return to the present as the Council Chamber doors hissed open and he entered; there was, he reminded himself, still much work to be done before his beloved Padmé was safe once more.

"Master Skywalker," One of the younglings began as the doors hissed closed, rushing forward to greet the Jedi Knight. "There are too many of them; what are we going to do?" He asked, clutching a training saber in his hand. Vader looked down at the boy and for just a brief moment he asked himself if it was worth it. Was saving Padmé worth the lives of so many small children? After all, what threat did the younglings before him pose to the Republic?

His lightsaber's blue blade snapped to life with that familiar _snap-hiss_ he knew so well. With the Force nothing was impossible for the Jedi, and already these children were too indoctrinated by the Jedi Code to be persuaded of the truth...in reality, he decided, he was being kind and merciful to these children...at least their deaths would be quick and relatively painless.

The little boy stepped back for a moment, obviously unclear as to what Vader meant to do, and advancing forward the fallen Jedi thrust his lightsaber forward, drilling a neat, perfect hole through the child's heart. The remaining younglings all ignited their own weapons as their friend fell to the ground, dead before he even landed. Vader quickly took stock of his situation as he moved forward: there were nine remaining, six humans, a Togruta, a Mon Cal, and a Zabrak. The sound of blaster shots being exchanged outside caught his attention, but the young Sith ignored it: Rex and his men would do their job and prevent anyone from reaching him.

Two of the younglings charged forward, green lightsabers flashing as they tried to take Vader down: he nearly laughed as he expertly blocked both attacks and cut each male human down one at a time.

As he blocked an attack by a female human wielding a blue lightsaber he reached out and grabbed the Zabrak youngling in an unstoppable Force Choke, remembering back to thirteen years ago on the planet Naboo: Palpatine, he remembered, had been behind the Zabrak Sith responsible for killing Qui-Gon Jinn as well. Vader's hand closed into a tight fist and the youngling's windpipes were instantly crushed.

He let the body crumple to the ground as he turned and easily decapitated that same human little girl as she tried another desperate attempt to stop Darth Vader from completing his mission. Now only five younglings remained.

Those five children massed together and then charged forward, hoping to defeat the Sith before them through sheer numbers alone. Vader, in turn, found this amusing, even as he twirled his lightsaber before him, cutting into each of the younglings as they came before him, and now only the little Togruta youngling was left.

She brought her blade up defensively, elbows out, a classic (and basic) style...but as Vader closed in on the girl he was suddenly reminded of his own apprentice, the Togruta Jedi named Ahsoka Tano. The youngling's skin was the same color and her attitude appeared to be just as defiant.

Where was Ahsoka now, Vader wondered. He knew she would still be on the capital, where she'd been since before the Battle of Coruscant days before. Had she been caught elsewhere in the Temple or the Capital, cut down by the Clones following his new master's orders? Had she managed to escape and go into hiding?

Vader shook his head as he brought his blade down on the child, cutting her in two. Ahsoka was not the type to just up and run, not when there was a battle to be fought and Jedi to be saved. He switched off his lightsaber as he studied the carnage around him.

"All too easy." He told himself. At that moment, however, the door to the Council Chambers again opened with a soft _hiss_.

Jedi Apprentice Ahsoka Tano's heart was racing even faster than her feet, which, given the circumstances, was a great achievement in and of itself.

She had been eating her evening meal late when she'd felt a great disturbance in the Force, a sign something terrible had happened. She had just finished with her meal, planning to take a defensive post with the other Padawans, when the clone troopers of the 501st, a legion she had worked with multiple times in the past, had burst in, opening fire on everyone they could see.

Surprised by this stunning turn of events she had immediately begun defending herself, deflecting the clones' fire back into them with her lightsaber's emerald blade. She had, however, been hesitant in actually cutting down any of the soldiers: after all, she'd reasoned, she still had no idea what was going on or why they were doing this. She had shouted at the clones to stand down, had _ordered _them to stand down, but that had not worked, forcing her to do the unthinkable and kill the clone troopers she'd fought beside so many times in the past.

She had then taken off for the Council Chambers, remembering that Anakin had told her that's where he'd be if she needed him following the departure of Master Windu and his fellow Masters.

However, as she approached the Council Chambers she found her way suddenly blocked by a dozen clone troopers, blasters leveled her way.

"Rex!" Ahsoka shouted, her unlit lightsaber in her hand. "Will you _please _tell me what's going on here?"

"I'm sorry sir." The clone Captain answered. "But all Jedi are now to be considered enemies of the Republic."

"_WHAT?_" Ahsoka asked. "Why?"

"The Jedi have attempted to overthrow the Republic, sir, and are to be terminated on sight, with extreme prejudice. I-I'm sorry Commander, but that includes you too, sir."

Ahsoka heard his voice falter, and this immediately gave her hope that he would be smart enough to disobey his orders. The cocking of the DC-15 Blaster Rifles, however, told her the truth.

_Snap-hiss._

She brought her lightsaber up.

"Rex, stand down, now!" Ahsoka pleaded, keeping her voice strong. "That is an order."

"I'm sorry sir, but it appears you've been relieved of your duties." And with that the troopers opened fire.

The lightsaber in Ahsoka's hand became a mere sheet of emerald energy as it weaved about in front of her, deflecting the volley of blaster fire back towards the clones.

Ahsoka gathered the Force around her like a warm cloak, allowing it to envelop her and surround her, and then, dodging yet more clone fire, she allowed it to explode outwards, pushing the clones back several feet, giving her just enough room to breathe, and breath she did. The Force was no longer merely around her, nor was it any longer her weapon, her tool, or her guide...the Force was now Ahsoka Tano; Ahsoka Tano _was _the Force.

Without any thought at all she was somersaulting through the air, her blade snapping up the moment she landed, cleaving the nearest trooper from his left thigh up to his right shoulder, and even before the clone had fallen to the ground the blade was coming up into a vertical position in front of her face, sending a round of shots straight into another clone's head.

Blaster fire continued to angle in towards the lone Jedi, but she was a blur of motion now, deflecting the fire back at the clones, slowly, steadily dropping the soldiers one by one, pushing them back towards the Council Chambers.

She turned to see Rex open fire once more with his twin pistols, and again the Padawan was in the air, flying high over Rex's head and away from the deadly bolts: she landed at the precise moment those blaster bolts slammed into the final remaining clone, sending him to his death and leaving Ahsoka alone with Rex.

The clone Captain was spinning, rushing to get a lock on Ahsoka, but before he could squeeze off another shot her emerald blade came up once more, slicing through the front half of both weapons. This, she knew, was the end.

"I win, Rex, now stand down!"

"Sorry sir, I can't do that." The Clone Captain replied. "My orders are clear."

"Come on, Rex, use your head!" Ahsoka cried. "These orders are wrong, and you know it!"

"Orders are-" Rex stopped mid-sentence, however, going silent as though he were giving the matter a great deal of thought.

"There are clones downstairs, executing younglings, Rex!" Ahsoka continued. "That's not right! What threat do _younglings _pose to the Republic?"

Silence.

"Rex, I have always admired you and your men because you're smarter than most clones; you know when orders aren't right, when they're dangerous, and you know how to avoid them!"

"I'm sorry, kid-"

"Rex, please don't make me kill someone I love-"

"Love?"

Ahsoka sighed, deactivating her lightsaber. She had never really admitted it before, not even to herself, but she had known, for almost a year, that she did love the Captain. After all the time they'd spent together on the various battlefields of this galactic war, after the numerous times they'd saved each other, she had become attached to him, as a Jedi was always taught to avoid. She'd never told anyone about this, not even her master, but she had always dreamed that one day, following the war, it might, somehow, work...

"I love you, Rex." Ahsoka explained, fighting back tears. "You mean so much to me, now. When I fail you know how to make me feel better, and when I'm pinned down by the tinnies and Anakin can't reach me I know you'll be there to pull me out. Please, I'm begging you, Rex, don't make me do this."

Finally, after what seemed like forever, Rex spoke.

"I'm sorry sir, but I _must _follow orders. The Jedi have betrayed the Republic and must be brought to justice."

"Rex-"

"Sorry kid."

Before Ahsoka could comprehend what was happening Rex's armored right fist had lashed out, catching her in the jaw, an attack he followed up with a kick to her gut, and Ahsoka, unable to do nothing but stagger back, was unable to stop him as he jerked her second lightsaber from her waist and activated the yellow blade, bringing it down in a deadly arc.

_Snap-Hiss._

The emerald plasma in her right hand came up, catching her captive blade only inches from her face.

Ahsoka forced the blade back and then launched her own offensive, but to her horrid surprise Rex was holding his own: obviously serving with Jedi Commanders had taught this clone - no, Ahsoka corrected herself - this _man_ how to wield a lightsaber. Unfortunately for him, he still had no access to the Force.

Again she somersaulted over him, but as she landed Rex was already turned, moving to block her upward slash with his own thrust straight at the Padawan's heart. Before the yellow blade could reach her, though, her green lightsaber sliced through the other weapon's hilt, instantly killing the blade, and not slowing down, not even stopping to think on what had just happened, Ahsoka brought her blade around, and this time the Captain could do nothing as the green blade intercepted his neck, separating it from his shoulders.

"I'm sorry Rex." Ahsoka choked as the helmet came to a rest at her feet. "Another galaxy, another time, perhaps." She finished softly, deactivating the lightsaber in her hand.

However, she did not allow this to hinder her as she began racing for the Council Chambers. She had matured in the past several months, becoming more powerful and more stable. She wanted so bad to cry, so bad to just fall to her knees and pretend the world had ended, but she was a Jedi, and as long as the Temple was threatened she would do her duty: Anakin and Rex had taught her at least that much.

The doors opened with a silent _hiss_, allowing Ahsoka to move forward into what had, just hours ago, been the center of Jedi power.

In the center of the room, a bar of blue escaping his right hand, was a cloaked figure, his head bowed, but even now Ahsoka recognized him.

"MASTER, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" Ahsoka shouted, stopping just short of the fallen Jedi.

"You should not have come here, Ahsoka." He whispered, and while she knew it was him speaking the voice still sounded somehow foreign, alien...it sounded evil. "Run." He continued, not turning to face her. "Run, now, get as far away from Coruscant as you can. Go into hiding, build a new life, get away from Darth Sidious, and leave the Jedi to the fate they deserve."

"Listen to yourself, Skyguy!" Ahsoka ordered. "This isn't you, Master, I know it isn't."

"Anakin Skywalker is dead, Ahsoka Tano; that name means nothing to me." He replied. "Now, for old times' sake, I'm giving you a chance: run away...run away and never return."

"I can't do that Master." Ahsoka answered.

"I told you, _youngling_, Anakin Skywalker is dead; that name no longer holds any meaning for me."

"Master, the Sith have corrupted you! Surely you can see this! I-"

"The Sith have made me more powerful than any Jedi has ever _dreamed _of becoming, Ahsoka. Darth Vader is far greater than Anakin Skywalker could ever have been."

"Darth Vader?" Ahsoka asked, taken aback. Now, though, she knew it was too late. Now her heart was completely broken. "It's official then." She gave a curt nod of her head. "If you refuse to listen to reason then I will stop you. You're under arrest, _my lord_."

"You will try." He answered, and once more Ahsoka brought her lightsaber to life, and this, she knew, would be her test, her trial. If she succeeded then she'd have earned the rank of Jedi Knight, but if she failed, the Padawan knew, then the Jedi Order would die with her.

Vader was on top of her in the blink of an eye, forcing her back and on the defensive, twisting and twirling her blade furiously to parry and block his every swing, cut, slash, and thrust.

As Ahsoka leapt backwards to put some distance between her and her fallen master she had just a moment to reflect on how much he had already changed. She felt shock and awe at how much he now let loose against her, destroying what little control he had always shown in battle against Count Dooku's Droid Army. She had been at his side during battles against scores of droids, she had fought next to him against Asajj Ventress, and she had backed him up in duels against the head clanker, General Grievous. During each of those battles he had fought with recklessness and raw power, but his frenzy had been controlled nonetheless. Now, however, that control was nowhere to be seen. Each attack was fueled by anger and backed by a desire to kill…_her._

Her moment of reflection, however, was just that; a moment. No sooner had she disengaged than Vader was on top of her once more, raining down blow after blow upon his former apprentice.

Ahsoka, now, gave herself over to the Force once again. She allowed it to dictate her every movement, to anticipate each attack Vader was going to launch before he even attacked. Like her Master, she specialized in the Fifth Form of lightsaber combat, but while Anakin had always utilized the Djem So variant she had leaned more towards the blaster-oriented Shien, favoring the style's reverse grip as opposed to more standard holds. Of course, under Skyguy's tutelage she'd begun using standard holds, both with her main saber and her backup weapon, whether using one at a time or both of them together.

As the war between teacher and student waged, Ahsoka recognized a brief flash of shock on Anakin's face, and realizing he'd not expected her to hold him at bay for so long she charged forward suddenly, unleashing a barrage of violent, aggressive attacks designed to force the Jedi Knight-turned-Sith Lord back.

Skywalker's blue blade flashed as he desperately tried to fend off his Padawan's sudden burst of power, but Ahsoka never once let up, pushing him out of the semi-circle of Council chairs and towards the transparisteel windows that looked out over a night-time capital city-planet and the darkening galaxy that surrounded it.

Deep inside of her, Ahsoka could feel her control over her emotions weakening. She could still remember the first time she'd met Anakin, back on Christophis. Before that fateful meeting, she could remember hearing the stories of both Anakin and his former master, Obi-Wan Kenobi. She could remember admiring the legendary pair for the reputation they'd earned, for their seemingly infinite powers with the Force. When Master Yoda had informed her she was being assigned to _the _Anakin Skywalker, she'd been ecstatic, so ready to prove herself worthy, to prove that her young age meant nothing. Over the following months she'd grown far more powerful and advanced for her age than she'd ever imagined was possible, and it was all thanks to her master, the teacher she'd grown to love. Not romantically, of course, not by a long shot. Anakin Skywalker was like the father she'd never known, to her what Obi-Wan Kenobi was to Anakin. Now, with the Jedi Temple around them in flames and dying from within, Ahsoka was doing the one thing she'd never before contemplated…she was fighting Skyguy, and not only was her life on the line but the freedom of an entire galaxy and the fate of a mythical Order also hung in the balance.

Ahsoka _was _advanced for her age. Anakin, Obi-Wan, Mace Windu, and even Yoda himself had, at different times in her life, agreed with this fact. Many expected her to reach Knighthood before she even reached full adulthood, and her experiences with Obi-Wan and Anakin had only helped her. The fact was, however, that, despite her advanced skills and training, Darth Vader was large, stronger both physically and with the Force, and had the better part of two decades of experience over her, and that fact was rapidly becoming apparent to both duelists.

With his back against the transparisteel window, Anakin stubbornly held his ground, deflecting each attack Ahsoka launched, using his master's own Soresu to wear the younger woman down and make her more open to making a mistake, a mistake that came nearly fifteen minutes after their bout had first begun.

The thrust was supposed to be a sudden, vicious blow designed to pierce the Sith Apprentice's heart, but, her arms now sore and her muscles burning with the same furiousness of the flames engulfing her home, it was much slower than she'd planned, giving Vader the perfect chance to somersault over her head, sending her emerald blade slicing through the transparisteel instead, sending trillions of lethal transparisteel shards scattering on the floor at her feet and into the night sky beyond.

She spun around to block the counter-attack sure to follow, but her movements continued to slow down, and as her foe came into view she felt a massive, heavy hand, completely invisible, slam into her chest with such power that she was flung through the open windows and into the Coruscant night.

As her green blade shut off and fell free of her hand, she cloaked herself with the Force, using its powers to slow her descent, not only ensuring she'd survive a much softer landing but also giving her enough time to collect herself and right her body so that she landed on her feet.

Even before she landed at the base of the southwest tower, she could feel Vader's presence, and, sure enough, even as she landed she was docking a would-be decapitating swing of her former master's bar of plasma.

With no lightsaber in her hands, Ahsoka was forced instead to backflip away from the fallen Knight, her mind desperately racing in its search for her lost weapon.

Knowing that what she needed was more time, Padawan Tano lashed out with her own Force Push, which, though nothing compared to the power of her old teacher, sent Anakin stumbling back, giving her just enough breathing room.

Almost immediately, free for a few seconds from attack, Ahsoka found her discarded saber, and, noticing Vader rushing her out of her peripherals, she launched herself through the air, landing directly over her weapon.

Without further ado, she bent down and plucked the weapon from the ground, igniting its emerald blade before again turning to face Vader…

Instead of the young Sith, however, Ahsoka found herself face-to-face with a twirling lightsaber blade as it sailed through the air like a deadly saw, intent on cutting her in half.

Fueled by a sudden burst of Force power Ahsoka charged the deadly weapon, and, now only inches away from certain death, she vaulted high into the air, raising her own saber and preparing it for a final, decisive blow that would end Anakin Skywalker's treason once and for all, leaving none in doubt on who the better warrior was.

As was per usual, however, Anakin again proved that his lightsaber wasn't his only weapon. In the middle of her attack, suspended high in the air above the top of the Temple's ziggurat pyramid, her lightsaber held high and back over her head, the young apprentice had no defense as a thunderstorm of Force-generated lightening erupted from Anakin's hands, tearing into her defenseless body and reversing her trajectory through the air.

So strong was her landing that her back felt like her spine had shattered into a million pieces, her lightsaber again shutting off and rolling from her hands. As she blinked, desperate to regain her bearings, a world-shattering explosion rocked the Palace of the Jedi, and suddenly the flames around her and her fallen friend were so intense that she felt like she was on Mustafar once more.

Shutting the memory of their mission to rescue abducted Force-Sensitive younglings from the Separatists, Ahsoka willed herself back onto her feet as she again regained custody of her lightsaber.

As she gave life back to her weapon's blade, she paused just briefly, looking out over the flames and ruins of this Jedi Wasteland, wondering how things could have spiraled down to such depths.

She turned, then, her emerald blade at her side, waiting for its next move, but, even as it came up to prepare for combat, Darth Vader was suddenly directly in front of her, and, as suddenly as it had begun, their duel was over.

A terrible, sharp pain stung her directly in her chest, perfectly situated between her growing breasts. Unable to help herself, she looked down, somehow not expecting to see the blue bar of plasma piercing her body.

Sapphire fire seared through her chest. She felt her breath catch and her lungs seize up as the blade of Anakin Skywalker tore through her body she could feel her body begin to shut down as she resisted the urge to stagger forward.

With her life now flooding out of her, Ahsoka knew she'd failed, just as she knew that the Jedi Order was crashing down around her ears. Suddenly so weak she could barely breath, her lightsaber slipped into silence once more as, for what would prove to be the final time, it tumbled from her hand.

Now only centimeters from her end, she helplessly stared into the eyes of the father she'd always loved so much, the teacher from whom she'd learned nearly everything. Flames of destruction flickered in his eyes, reflecting the fall of the Jedi Order. She could sense satisfaction and relief emanating from his Force presence, but, despite all she knew as a Jedi, it was his eyes that truly told the story.

Those blue eyes, always so kind and so determined, were now held captive by grief, an overwhelming sadness so great the Ahsoka could feel tears now dripping from her own eyes.

Backing up, Lord Vader extinguished his weapon, allowing Ahsoka to stumble forward as her knees buckled. Slowly, as though it were the overly-dramatic ending to some holo-vid, she fell to her knees, but not for even a second did she break contact with the Chosen One's eyes.

For several long, silent moments, the Jedi and the Sith stared one another down, a flood of emotions and unspoken words flowing between them. Then, weaker than ever before in her life, Ahsoka Tano closed her eyes briefly, but when she opened them she found herself in an entirely different place.

_There was a handsome young man, clad fully in black attire similar to what Anakin Skywalker was so fond of, kneeling on the floor of an unfamiliar room, holding a droid-like figure fully enclosed in black armor and a black helmet covering an evil facemask. As oddly familiar white-armored troops and neatly-dressed officers rushed hurriedly around them, the young man, with the same hair and eyes as her old master, pulled the obviously-wounded helmeted figure up so that he was gently cradling him. As Ahsoka listened to the weak sounds of breath leaking from the dark figure, she couldn't help but notice he'd lost his right hand…_

_ "Luke…help me…take…this mask…off."_

_ "But you'll die." Responded the young man named Luke._

_ "Nothing…can stop that now. Just for once…let me look on you…with my _own _eyes."_

_ As blaster fire and explosions, the sure indicators of a major space battle, echoed around them, the boy Luke, as per the armored man's request, set to work disengaging the helmet from his head._

_ When he was done, Ahsoka found herself looking down at a bald, pale white head, burn scars littering his scalp and head. His eyes, however, were the same shade of blue as Luke's, the same eyes now holding so much familiar regret and sadness…_

_ "Now go…my son…_leave_ me." He coughed, urging his son to make his escape._

_ "No, you're coming with me. I'll not leave you here," Luke declared in a determined voice she recognized all too well…"I've got to save you."_

_ "You already have…Luke." He gasped. "You were right. You were right about me…tell your sister…you were right…"_

_ His last words came out as a weakened gasp. As he finished speaking, he closed his eyes and his head began tilting back._

_ "Father," Luke begged as the other man's head lulled back to the deck. "I won't leave you." His words made her certain he was on the verge of tears. Judging by the way his father's head lulled back, however, Ahsoka knew she and the armored man would soon share fates. As she closed her eyes, she could see the images of that black armor lying still on a pyre surrounded by honorific flames…_

Opening her eyes, Ahsoka Tano again found herself looking up at the same blue eyes that had appeared out of that black helmet, and, with a sudden spring of understanding, Ahsoka Tano smiled.

"I-I forgive y-you, S-Skyguy."

"I told you, Ahsoka Tano, I'm Darth Vader now. Anakin Skywalker."

"Nah, master." She countered, falling onto her stomach and rolling over helpless onto her back, again staring up at Anakin. "No matter w-what h-happens, r-reg-regardless of how m-much evil you do, y-you'll al-always be Sky-sk-Skyguy. An-Anakin Skywalker w-will al-always be alive, t-the same Jedi Master I've always admired. The same man," She added as a second burst of understanding flooded into her stricken body. "Senator Amidala fell in love with."

His eyes wide in shock, Anakin Skywalker closed his eyes for a moment, and when he opened them again he weakly nodded his head, the business end of his lightsaber hilt now directly above her face.

"Go in peace with the Force now, Snips."

And blue fire burned away all of Ahsoka Tano's fears and worries as her body finished draining itself of the Force.

Watching the scene through his connections with the Force, Darth Sidious, Dark Lord of the Sith, smiled, satisfied with his newest pupil.

On Utapau, as a single blast exploded from the main battery of an AT-TE, riding the faithful dragon mount Boga, Obi-Wan Kenobi also sensed the death of Ahsoka "Snips" Tano, but moments later a blast of super-charged laser energy blew those worries to dust, sending him and his dead steed plummeting hundreds of meters into the water below.

On Cato Nemoidia, in the cockpit of his modified Delta-7 _Aethersprite_-class light interceptor, Jedi Master and member of the Jedi High Council Plo Koon sensed the disturbance in the Force as the Togruta youngling he'd brought to the Temple became one with the Force, but before he could shed a single tear green laser fire from friendly ARC-170 fighters ended all concerns he'd ever had.

Now one with the Force, Ahsoka Tano looked down on the galaxy, gazing upon the Jedi Wasteland, and she cried. For the sake of the Jedi Order, past, present, and future, Snips, lil' 'Soka, cried. And she cried.

* * *

**So, what do you guys think? How'd I do?**

**As far as I know, Ahsoka's fate following Order 66 and _Operation: Knightfall _has yet to be released, so this was just my opinion of how things could have gone. **

**I'll admit, I don't really know why I added the vision taken from _Return of the Jedi_ **** it just seemed appropriate, as did the scenes with Sidious, Kenobi, and Plo Koon. So, review down below here and let me know what you guys? **

**Oh, and the scene with eye contact between Vader and Ahsoka was inspired by the trailer for the _Old Republic,_ where Darth Malgus kills the Jedi Master in the Jedi Temple.**


End file.
